Newport man charged with five felonies for home invasion in SK

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – A Newport man was arrested on a South Kingstown police warrant Wednesday and charged with five felonies related to a home invasion involving a firearm on Feb. 4.

Brandon John Kluth, 20 of 13 John Chaffee Blvd., Apt.#2, Newport was charged with the five felonies of assault with a deadly weapon in a dwelling or house, burglary, conspiracy, first degree robbery and felony assault with a dangerous weapon or substance. He was taken into custody by Newport police and transported to the South Kingstown police.
Kluth's arrest stemmed from an home invasion on Friday, Feb. 4.

According to the police report, he was among a group of four who forced their way into the home of Derek Benoit, 25 of 44 King's Ridge Road, South Kingstown. In the report, the victim stated that four unknown men dressed in white hoodies and bandannas came into his house and assaulted him with a baseball bat, looking for money. The victim also said one man also had a gun.

After the four men invaded the King's Ridge Road home, police found that the victim had invited a friend, Brittany Flesia, 19, of 18 Barnacle Drive, South Kingstown over to purchase marijuana. Yet, when she entered the home, Flesia left the door open for the burglars. When the men entered his home, the victim, who was amongst several friends, heard one man say “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

According to the police report, the four men demanded money, which the victim did not provide. According to police, Kluth had threatened the victim with a black .40 semi-auto hand gun and a second male, believed to be Stefon Jenkins, 19 of Newport and another unidentified male threatened the victim with baseball bats. Although they did not take any money, the burglars did take a Verizon Droid cell phone, valued at $500.